Grow with KARE: What to plant in July

By Caroline Anderson July 7, 2023 12 mins read 232 Views

Elevating the everyday is our mission. At Belovedsaffron.com, we think the world deserves more than conventional cuisines — and more than take-out from chains. Our goal is to celebrate cultural flavours through spices, herbs and organic food from sustainable farming.

Saffron is our love affair; a culinary crescendo that evokes a warmth of its own. But cooking is so much more than a single ingredient — it’s also about respect. It’s about respecting people from different cultures who dedicate their lives to creating something extraordinary with every dish they serve; family meals or five-star restaurants alike.

And that’s why we’re inviting everyone to join us – to share their recipes, explore new flavors and be part of something special. We know everyone has something delicious to offer!

For now, love yourself and enjoy this one ...

Frequently Asked Questions

Are organic foods better for us?

According to the Environmental Working Group's latest report on pesticide residues in foods, organic fruits and vegetables had nearly half the level of pesticides compared with non-organic versions. They discovered that organic apples contained eight more pesticides per gram than non-organic ones, while organic strawberries contained four times as many pesticides.

Another study suggests that organic food can reduce exposure to toxic metals such as lead and mercury. A study concluded that children who ate organic meat had 33% lower levels of blood lead than those who didn’t. Another study concluded conventional fish consumption should be stopped by pregnant women because it contains high levels of mercury.

Organic food seems to be safer than the non-organic. Experts recommend that you choose fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible to lower your chance of developing cancer or other diseases.

Why should organic be my first choice?

Conventional agriculture has been linked with many health problems including asthma, allergies. Healthy choices must be made when purchasing food.

The Environmental Working Group offers these tips:

Always purchase organic fruits, vegetables and other products whenever possible.

USDA organic labels are required for meat, poultry, eggs and milk.

Avoid processed foods labelled "natural"/ "no additives."

Carefully review ingredient lists. If an ingredient doesn't appear on the list, it could be added to the product during processing.

It is better to eat fresh meats than canned or frozen. Cans and frozen foods are often less nutritious than fresh meats, such as high fructose corn syrup.

What are organic beauty products?

Organic Beauty Products are natural products without synthetic chemicals such as petroleum, parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, and artificial preservatives. These ingredients are found in most conventional beauty products, including cosmetics, perfumes, shampoos, etc.

Organic beauty products are not tested on animals and contain no genetically modified organisms.

The USDA defines organic food as "a system which fosters cycle of resources"; it has been used for decades by the USDA to describe foods that are grown without pesticides.

The harmful effects of chemical compounds on our bodies have led to an increase in the demand for ecofriendly beauty products.

These include cancer, allergies and skin irritation.

Organic beauty companies are committed to creating healthy and safe products for consumers while protecting the environment.

What are my top priorities when buying organic products

USDA-certified organic labels are desirable. This guarantees that the product meets certain USDA standards. On packages, boxes, cartons or cans, look out for the USDA Organic seal.

When you shop for meat, ensure that it comes from cows who are fed organic feed. Cattle are ruminants. They eat the whole animal. Ruminant cattle have four stomach areas: rumen (reticulum), omasum (omasum), and abomasum. If the cow is to be labeled "100% organic", all of its parts must have been organically fed.

Make sure you only buy chicken from chicken farms that are fed organically and have never been given antibiotics. Chickens are omnivores. This means they can eat both plant and animal food. Omnivorous chickens have a digestive tract composed of a crop, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.

Buy only dairy products from cows that have been fed organically grown feed. Like ruminants, dairy cattle have four stomachs. The fourth stomach compartment--the cow's udder--is where milk is produced.

You should always check the label before purchasing any other livestock. This will let you know what percentage of the diet was given to the animals. Pork may be labeled "95% Organic" which means that 95 percent of its feed was organic.

What is an inorganic food?

Organic food is made without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Inorganic foods contain these chemicals, which may cause health problems.

Organic food is organically grown without the use of harmful chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides. These chemicals may cause damage to animals as well as humans.

Inorganic food is meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, including butter, yogurts honey, yogurts, butter, cream, cheese, butter, yogurts, honey and grains.

Organic refers specifically to the method an agricultural product has been grown. Organic farming employs natural methods and soil amendments for growing crops. Conventional agriculture uses pesticides or fertilizers.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), must ensure that organic food meets strict standards. The National Organic Program Standards state that organic food must be freed from banned substances like antibiotics, growthhormones, genetically altered organisms (GMOs) and industrial solvents. Organic food must also be free from toxic chemicals, petroleum based fertilizers, sewage effluents and ionizing radiation.

Statistics

Once certified by the USDA, it can fall into one of four categories: "100 percent organic", "organic," "made with organic ingredients," or "made with less than 70 percent organic ingredients. (en.wikipedia.org)
When packaged products indicate they are “made with organic [specific ingredient or food group],” they contain at least 70% organically produced ingredients. (usda.gov)
To provide the highest quality products and services to every customer, with a dedicated workforce that puts the customer first and takes the extra step to achieve 100% customer satisfaction and loyalty. (hollinsorganic.com)
Brands participating in this challenge are committed to using 100 percent sustainable cotton by 2025.[5] (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

Organic foods: Are organic foods healthier?

Organic foods are grown without the use chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. They are grown in natural environments without artificial inputs (fungicides/herbicides/hormones, antibiotics or genetic engineering). Organic farming practices include crop rotation and cover crops, the composting of animal manure, the recycling of wastewater, as well as integrated pest management (IPM).

In 2002, USDA National Organic Programs (NOP) were established to regulate the production and handling of organic products that are sold in the United States. The NOP regulations ensure that organic agricultural products are produced according to federal standards outlined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In addition, the NOP rules mandate that organic products must be free from prohibited substances, including pesticide residues, veterinary drugs, growth hormones, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, sewage sludge, industrial waste, and heavy metals.

The United States offers two certification programs for producers that want their products to be certified organic: one for farmers, ranchers and the other for manufacturers. Each program requires an annual audit of operations to ensure compliance with strict standards. Many certifying agents offer this service, including CCOF Certified Organic Farmers & Ranchers (QA International), American Grassfed Association, and Quality Assurance International. These organizations offer third-party verification that farms adhere to strict guidelines about environmental stewardship and labour practices.

According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, organic farming accounted for $4.7Billion in 2013 sales. Retail spending on certified organic products reached nearly $1.5 Billion in 2013. This is a 23 per cent increase from 2009. This period saw a 12 percent increase in grocery store sales. Spending directly on organic produce grew by 29 percent while that on meat, poultry, eggs and seafood only grew by 1 percent.

Although organic food can be more expensive than regular food, many consumers feel that its quality is well worth the additional cost. According to a 2015 survey conducted by Consumer Reports, 88 percent of respondents said they would pay more for organic food if it meant higher nutritional value. Health Affairs also published a study showing that organic foods are less likely for people to get heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or obesity.

Even though there is no evidence organic foods cause or treat diseases, some studies show that they can improve overall health by reducing pesticide and other contaminants exposure. One example is the conclusion reached by a review of 31 studies, published in 2010, that organically reared beef was significantly less toxic than conventionally-raised beef. A separate analysis of 11 publications from 2012 produced similar results.

According to a 2014 report by the Environmental Working Group, the incidence of foodborne disease caused by E.coli, salmonella or listeria monocytogenes, E. coli and E. coli O157H7 was lower when organic chicken, non-organic pork, beef, lamb and milk were compared. After 2006, when USDA required stricter organic standards in animal raising for human consumption, the group noted that E.coli O157 was less common among children and adults.